Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Abstract
Pain research is often focused on escape from pain or approach of relief, yet individuals with chronic pain make complex choices to face their pain to satiate other drives (approach-avoidance conflicts). An abundance of research has indicated that prefrontal alpha band asymmetry (PFA) underlies approach-avoidance in general, but there is limited information about whether PFA underlies pain approach-avoidance conflicts. Electroencephalogram activity was recorded while 70 participants with chronic pain (n=33) and without chronic pain (n=37) approached/avoided stimuli containing simultaneous pain (low-high) and monetary reward (low-high). Findings from both studies revealed that approach-avoidance for pain stimuli is not accompanied by prefrontal asymmetry, irrespective of the presence of chronic pain.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Tracy W.; Colpitts, Kayli N.; Botello, Cristian M.; Hartman, Abby K.; Seymour, Kathryn P.; De La Cerda, Callie; and Harris Bozer, Amber L. (2023) "Alpha band prefrontal asymmetry does not underlie pain approach-avoidance: Results from two EEG studies," Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 29: No. 1, Article 22. Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol29/iss1/22
Publication Title
Modern Psychological Studies
Comments
Student publication.